OMG VOG, v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the pathophysiology of Ocular Myasthenia Gravis using Video Oculography
IRAS ID
279233
Contact name
Sui H. Wong
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Moorfields Eye Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease that affects the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), i.e. the junction between nerve and muscle. Many people with MG first develop weakness of eye muscles; this causes double vision or dropping eyelids, called ocular MG (OMG). The weakness may, at a later stage, spread to affect breathing, swallowing, speech or limbs, called generalised MG (GMG). The reported conversion rate from OMG to GMG varies between patients and is currently unpredictable.
OMG is difficult to diagnose. Up to 50% of blood tests can be unhelpful. Delays in diagnosis result in incorrect treatment and more serious health risk if the conversion to GMG is missed.
Eye muscles control the movements of the eyes and are known to be complex. They have six muscle-fibre types, with different movement speeds and susceptibility to fatigue. Oculography is a test to measure eye movements in detail and can shed light on the muscle-fibres affected. Oculography techniques have improved recently with use of video oculography (VOG).
The aim of this study is to use VOG to assess different muscle-fibre types affected in OMG, to understand the disease process in OMG.
Our large specialist OMG service will enable a very detailed examination of the eye muscles in patients with OMG in order to understand better how the muscles are affected. This should lead to faster diagnosis of OMG and may help predict those patients who will convert to generalised disease with its potential greater severity.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
21/WA/0077
Date of REC Opinion
18 Mar 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion